


Stumbling Blocks

by ThatBohoFemme



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Boys In Love, Coping, Developing Relationship, Disappointment, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, I Love You, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mother Hen Sheamus, Watching Someone Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-21 23:12:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13154016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatBohoFemme/pseuds/ThatBohoFemme
Summary: Post-RAW 12/25Sheamus hates that look in Cesaro's eyes. That hollow look of defeat. He would do anything to make his partner happy and right now, there's nothing he can do.It's enough to make the strongest man crazy.Sheamus doesn't mean to be so protective of Cesaro. It just kind of happened. Cesaro's so intense in the ring that he needs someone like Sheamus to watch for him and help to balance out that intensity. They bring out the best in each other.





	Stumbling Blocks

**Author's Note:**

> Post-RAW 12/25 so it will contain spoilers.
> 
> After that travesty, I was inspired with this.
> 
> Enjoy!

"All we give them and yet, this is how we're treated." Sheamus can't stopping pacing no matter what he tries. He's far too agitated. "I mean- Merry Christmas to the best on the roster." He stops for a second, turning to face Cesaro. "Meaning you- not me." 

Cesaro's kept quiet the entire time Sheamus has been ranting and pacing. He's not the quiet type so something like that would normally make Sheamus stop and question. 

"My Dear, I have no words. Seth's no happier about this than we are." Cesaro stares up from his phone. "He cannot stand Jason any more than we can." 

"Well, I wouldn't either. All this crazy booking helped to injure Dean and now they do this!" Sheamus throws his arms up. 

Sheamus hates that look in Cesaro's eyes. That hollow look of defeat. He would do anything to make his partner happy and right now, there's nothing he can do. 

It's enough to make the strongest man crazy. 

Sheamus doesn't mean to be so protective of Cesaro. It just kind of happened. Cesaro's so intense in the ring that he needs someone like Sheamus to watch for him and help to balance out that intensity. They bring out the best in each other. 

That's why it hurts when Sheamus can't fix the problems plaguing Cesaro. 

"This isn't the holiday I envisioned for us. I should just be grateful for the fact we're together," Cesaro comments, still watching Sheamus pace. He stifles a yawn. 

"Ready to sleep?" Sheamus asks, turning to face Cesaro. "It's not like we've had a chance to eat a real meal." 

"Really just want to sleep and forget this miserable day," Cesaro admits. "Fighting the airport on Christmas, losing our titles and just feeling like the laughing stock of the universe." 

Sheamus winces, Cesaro's words almost biting. He knew Cesaro was in a bad mood but he hadn't thought the mood was like _that_.

"If sleep is what you want, sleep is what you get. We'll just make due with breakfast." Sheamus really has no appetite. He's stressed and worried about Cesaro.   
\---  
Sheamus knows he should be asleep but he just can't. Every time he gets comfortable, Cesaro thrashes restlessly. His sleep is fitful, clearly indicative of how heavy his thoughts are. 

No matter what he tries, Sheamus can't shake Cesaro's words. _Just feeling like the laughing stock of the universe._ This beautiful man thinks the world would laugh at him? Nobody in their right mind would dare to! 

Sheamus shifts, Cesaro throwing an arm around his waist and resting his head on his chest. He's never been particularly claustrophobic but he's also not used to Cesaro being like this. 

He only cuddles this close to Sheamus when he's really worried. 

Sheamus finds a way to tuck himself around Cesaro. It's an awkward position but it works. If he's lucky, this touch will calm Cesaro enough that he might let Sheamus sleep. 

This was the relationship that was never supposed to be. After Barrett, Sheamus had vowed to never date a coworker again. That had ended so badly that it was insane. 

He was okay with being single. Then, he blinked and there was Cesaro, ready to accept his every flaw and his bad history with love. It was taking a chance but some deep-seeded instinct told him it would be okay to trust again. 

Cesaro's movement ceases enough to allow Sheamus to relax. Maybe it was the tighter grip or the fact Cesaro just knew he was in the arms of the one person who would never hurt him and who would fight anyone who did. 

Just as sleep is about to take over, Sheamus finds a way to kiss Cesaro's forehead. 

It's his own way of saying 'I love you'- three words they have yet to find a way to say yet.   
\---  
"Sheamy." 

Sheamus wakes up to find Cesaro shaking him awake. Bleary-eyed, he finds himself nose to nose with his partner. 

"What?" For some reason, he finds the act of talking hard. He's not sure if it's just the simple fact he's not awake yet or if it's more of a emotional hangover from the night before. 

"Thank you." Cesaro's gaze is intense. That hollow defeat is still there but it's lessened _a lot_. 

"For what?" In the back of his head, Sheamus can hear the little voice asking 'You woke me up for that?' but his heart knows that Cesaro _needs_ this which makes it somehow okay. 

"Letting me be an asshole last night." Cesaro sighs. "I was just disappointed. We didn't get the holiday we wanted. The shitty booking. It just.. hit all at once." 

Sheamus exhales slowly. He's grateful that Cesaro's well enough to articulate his feelings. That's a sure step in the right direction. 

"You're fine, Love." Sheamus says the only thing he can think of. A quick check of the clock radio tells him it's only 5:45 am. He'd slept a grand total of 90 minutes. "Glad I could be there for you." 

"Anyway, sorry I woke you but my alarm went off and I thought I should tell you." 

"Do you have to go to the gym this morning?" Sheamus knows Cesaro's strict on his routine but it's also 5:45 in the morning, he's barely slept and it's 7 degrees outside. 

"You want me to skip?" Cesaro smirks. It's the first real smile Sheamus has seen since last night. 

"You're warm." Sheamus manages to flip Cesaro and pull him over so his front is pressed to Cesaro's back. He rests his chin on Cesaro's shoulder, nibbling gently on his ear. 

"Well, if you want to sleep, don't start something that will require you to move," Cesaro teases. "Oh Sheamy, what would I do without you?" 

Sheamus wonders the exact same thing. 

\---  
It's now 3 PM and they're in the airport, waiting for their flight to board. 

Their moods are progressively better than they had been the night before. They still aren't happy with the way things had played out but in the grand scheme of things, they know it will work out.

"It just has to!" Cesaro insists. "Almost every bad angle with me has been fixed at some point." 

Sheamus is skeptical about this but agrees for Cesaro's sake. His number one goal is to keep Cesaro content, if not happy. 

Cesaro rests his head on Sheamus' shoulder. Normally, they try not to be so affectionate in public but after last night, Sheamus doesn't care. 

"We'll figure it out." It sounds lame but Sheamus can't think of anything else to say. He knows the loss is eating at Cesaro, even if he's trying to pretend he's fine. 

"That we will." Cesaro twines their fingers together. The action is so intimate that it leaves Sheamus wondering and just the tiniest bit fearful. 

The flight home is relatively smooth, considering the weather in Chicago. For the entire flight, Cesaro's practically on top of Sheamus. 

"Are you okay?" Sheamus asks, squeezing Cesaro's hand. 

"Just thinking." Cesaro returns the squeeze. "Sorry, Love. I don't mean to be on top of you. I just kind of need the contact."

"It's fine." Sheamus just figures he'll have to deal with a clingy Cesaro for a couple of days. If that's what it takes to help get Cesaro back to normal, then so be it. 

It's just going to be a long couple of days. 

"Oh, also- I love you," Cesaro says in a voice barely above a whisper. 

Sheamus double-takes. This is the first time that Cesaro's ever said that. He doesn't know what he'd been expecting but on a plane headed home after a shitty night is _not_ what he had expected. 

"I love you too," Sheamus replies. It's true. It's also the first time that he's tried to say it and the words came out easily. 

As he sits, watching Cesaro doze on his shoulder, he realizes that it sucks now but at the very least, they have each other. That's more than most people could say. 

They would help each other get through it because that's what you did when you loved each other and things got rough. 

It's just going to take one day at a time. It's not like this is a huge deal in the grand scheme of things. They'll get over it. They'll just need to rely on each other. 

It's just the way it has to be and Sheamus is fine with that. 

If life had to suck, at least, he has Cesaro to help him through and vice versa.

Sheamus is ultimately grateful for this. 

-fin-


End file.
